WHAT? WHERE?

Little Downsend is a cluster of three pre-prep schools based in Ashtead, Leatherhead and Epsom. The three schools share the same vision which also reflects the ethos of the main Downsend School.

Ashtead caters for children from six months to four years, when most children move on to Reception at either Leatherhead or Epsom.

While at Leatherhead and Epsom, children start at the age of two and continue to age seven (Year 2), when they move on to main Downsend School.

While each Little Downsend school retains its own individuality and uniqueness, there are also common links anchoring them together. A warm and nurturing vibe and the innovative and vibrant curriculum is the same across all three sites.

FACILITIES

Little Downsend Leatherhead, Surrey — Little Downsend Leatherhead

Leatherhead

Little Downsend Leatherhead – five minutes’ walk from the main school site – is the bigger of the three with just over 100 pupils. The school is set over four floors in a converted Victorian house. It has double aspect windows and high ceilings in most classrooms creating a bright and spacious environment. The site is like a tardis and beyond the main playground, which includes covered play areas, sandpits and climbing equipment, there’s a gate that leads through to another play area. It’s like a secret garden, laid with artificial grass which makes it practical for year-round use.

Little Downsend Ashtead, Surrey — Little Downsend Ashtead

Ashtead

Little Downsend Ashtead, which has about 60 children, is found down a quiet residential street in a converted 1930s house. It’s a little over a mile from the main Downsend School, and in common with all three Little Downsends there’s a super warm and welcoming vibe.

There are separate classrooms and play areas for each year group including a new nursery for the babies which opened in September 2023. The introduction of babies means the school has had a rejig and a spruce up. The babies’ rooms are a lovely spaces, kitted out in calming neutral tones with beechwood furniture. The classrooms for First Steps (2-3 years) are on the first floor, and Rising Reception (3-4 years) are on the second floor.

There’s also a school hall where the kids have lunch and where assemblies are held. Outside, the playground is astroturf with zoned play areas that includes a mud kitchen and sandpit as well as quiet spots.

Little Downsend Epsom, Surrey — Little Downsend Epsom

Epsom

Little Downsend Epsom is tucked away at the end of a cul-de-sac, and is a similar size to the school at Ashtead with about 50 children. The school is set in two converted houses – a Junior House for First Steps and Rising Reception and a Senior House for Reception, Year 1 and Year 2). There’s plenty of outdoor space, with a separate play area for the smaller children. And there’s also a decent-sized woodland garden at the back.

ACADEMICS

The curriculum across all three Little Downsend schools is the same which creates continuity as well as connections. As babies, the learning is gentle and playful with a focus on sensory and messy play, social interaction and confidence building.

In First Steps and Rising Reception the play-based learning continues as children develop their concentration, language (speaking and listening), hand-eye coordination, manipulative skills and physical coordination. Teaching focuses on the skills that come before reading and writing, so the learning in Reception and Year 1 can be accelerated. Learning becomes more structured in Reception and Year 1.

There’s specialist teaching across all age-groups at all three sites for French, dance, music , PE and Forest School. In Reception, Year 1 and Year 2, all children learn swimming at the indoor pool on the main school site. And children across all three Little Downsend schools also make use of the sports and drama facilities at the main school.

Teaching focuses heavily on fostering a love of learning, rather than simply learning by rote. The school has established an innovative approach through active learning, child-led investigation and collaboration between children to make discoveries of their own. Downsend’s Future Skills vision – which has the ultimate aim of equipping children with the skills they need to thrive and to embrace everything the future has to offer – starts at Little Downsend. Technology brings learning to life and gives children a head start in the world of tech and IT.

In Year 1 and 2, there is an expectation that children will be independent learners. Lessons become more structured and the learning is more subject-specific. This is when their learning really takes off.

PASTORAL CARE

Like the main Downsend School, wellbeing is embedded into day-to-day life at the Little Downsend. It centres around relationships – building strong bonds with teachers and friends – but it goes beyond that to include each child’s relationship with themself. Children are encouraged to look inwards to learn to understand themselves and build a sense of identity and belonging. And this moves on to the local setting, then national and international environments.

Parents and families are also heavily involved across all age-groups at all three settings. The school’s relationship with parents is hugely important and online systems are in place to communicate observations daily. It goes both ways, with teachers sharing information about the school day, and parents keeping the school in the loop with things happening at home. Every half term parents are also invited to events at the schools.

Outdoor learning is important at Little Downsend, whether it is practicing handwriting with chalks, playing cricket, or exploring Forest School. It’s all about fresh air and fun.

THE HEAD

Ian Thorpe is executive head at Downsend School overseeing all four sites. He’s been at the school for 10 years and in that time has overseen plenty of change and progression including the introduction of GCSE to the main school.

Innovative and forward-thinking, he’s also a passionate advocate of holistic education. He’s also very approachable, and genuinely interested in the children and their personal, social and emotional development which he considers to be as important as the academics.

Mr Thorpe is supported by Lisa Burns, who is head at Little Downsend.

WRAP AROUND CARE

Little Downsend offers an Early Bird Club from 7.45am, and an Extended Day until 6pm which includes a light tea. There’s also the usual array of after-school clubs including cookery, French, judo and ballet.

ISI REPORT

The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) inspected Little Downsend Epsom in June 2022 rating it as excellent. And in March 2023, Little Downsend Ashtead and Little Downsend Leatherhead were inspected and received the same rating.

The full reports can be seen here for Little Downsend Epsom, Little Downsend Ashtead and Little Downsend Leatherhead.

MOBILE PHONE POLICY

Mobile phones are not permitted at Little Downsend.

TRANSPORT

There’s a network of busses to pick up and drop off Downsend children – some of which loop the Little Downsend schools into their routes. Check the transport guide here.

FEES

2023-24: The termly fee for Reception and Year 1 is £4,880, and for Year 2 it’s £5,156. Nursery fees depend on how many sessions. The full-day rate (745am-4pm) is from £88.01-£89 per day.

WORD ON THE GROUND

Parents form close bonds with the staff at the schools, loving the innovative way in which their children are taught, in a down-to-earth environment, whilst also delivering on academic results. Almost all Little Downsend pupils carry on their education through the main Downsend School.

THE MUDDY VERDICT

Good for: Families looking for a family-oriented unpretentious nursery and Key Stage 1 with strong pastoral care and a flair for innovation.

Not for: Those who want their little ones hot-housed. Little Downsend is big on nurturing children and supporting their academic and emotional development.

Dare to disagree?! All three Little Downsend schools offer small group Talk and Tour sessions every week. Personal tours can also be arranged all year round. Click here to book a visit.

Ashtead Little Downsend, 22 Oakfield Road, Ashtead, Surrey, KT21 2RE
Epsom Little Downsend, 6 Norman Avenue, Epsom, Surrey, KT17 3AB
Leatherhead Little Downsend, 13 Epsom Road, Leatherhead, Surrey, KT22 8ST

Little Downsend School, Ashtead, Leatherhead and Epsom

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